Community Editorial Board: Hugh Franks

Published 3:45 pm, Sunday, September 14, 2014

Occupation: Retired public school teacher, owner of Madcap Stringed Instrument Repair Boards and non-profit involvement: None at present How long in Midland: Thirty-three years, since April, 1981

What are the most important issues facing Midland: In the short-run, finding ways to deal with the population and demographic changes we are experiencing. In the long-run, deciding just what type of community Midland will be

What issue I am most involved in: Education, both public and private

Something not on everyone’s radar that need to be addressed: We seem to spend most of our efforts reacting to events that affect us (oil and gas prices, drought, increasing population, decisions coming out of Austin and Washington, etc.). In reality, we need to seriously consider exactly what Midland is to become, taking into account geographic, climate, transportation, economic, and political conditions. In simpler terms, Midland needs to recognize and accept the “hand it has been dealt” and decide upon a plan as how this “hand is to be played”.